Pope Leo XIV visited a prison in Spain on Wednesday to offer comfort to inmates before he was due to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona later in the evening.
"Every human being is worthy," the head of the Catholic Church said in a speech to some 80 inmates and visitors at the Brians 1 penitentiary, located about 30 kilometres north-west of Barcelona.
In his speech on the fifth day of his visit to Spain, the 70-year-old pontiff told the inmates that life's mistakes do not define a person's identity. "I invite you to keep dreaming God's dream and let Him start us anew," he said.
A group of inmates sang a song to welcome Leo. Two female inmates were each allowed to give short speeches.
One of them, Montse, told Leo: "We are happy that you are here because we feel forgotten." The second woman, Josefina, said: "This will pass, I will resume my life and I will continue to remain connected to God." Both were hugged by the pontiff after their speeches.
After the visit to the prison, Leo travelled to the next stage of his second day in Catalonia, the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, where the Holy Rosary was prayed.
The highlight of his stay in Barcelona is likely to be a Mass at the iconic Sagrada Familia cathedral, which attracts millions of visitors every year.
The final stop on the trip will be the Canary Islands from Thursday, where Leo plans to meet with refugees.
